Lightning-arrester.



J. T. GREENE.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5| m3.

1,155,415. Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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J. T. GREENE.

LlGHTNlNG ARHESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG5. m3.

1,155,415. Patented 000.1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- J 01m '1. GREENE, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC SPECIALTY COKPLHY, OY TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LIGHTNING- Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Application iledAugast 5, 1918. Serial I0. 788,.

To all whom. it may concern Be itknown that I, Jon): T. Gmzzsn, a citizen of the United Stafies, resi v at T0- ledo. in the count;- of Lucas and btate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

v My invention relata totzpparatus for rotedm v electrically opera instruments 51' devices from the destructive efiects of abnormal currents or impulses due to lightning djsclmrges, crosses with lines carrying potential, and other-like causes.

primary object of the invention is to rovide an apparatus of this sortwhich be relafiv y inexpmsive to manufactnre, reliable and certain in its operation, compactinstructureandofasmesndcbaracter to fit into existing installations, and which will be oifa rugged construction so that it may be shipped to distant POIDtS without of v or b thepartsandsothatitwillbecapable of withstandingthe high temperatures and stress resulting from the electric discha across the spark gaps.

Th e invention has. for a further object an up comprising a device which provides a gap or gaps serving to free the hue, with which it IS employed, of abnormally high tin] currents or impulses of short duration, such, for example, as those due to lightning dischargs, combined with means whereby, in the case of a continued currentof a pressure greater thanthatwhichthelineisintendedto any (resulting. for example, from a cross with some high potential circuits) the aforementioned device. or arrester proper, is protected from injury or destruction and a permancnt grounding of the cm-rent prevented.

A further object is to provide a lightning arrester of the vacuum'type in which the discharge is distributed over a considerable portion of the space within the evacuated tube or vessel that contains the electrodes so as to avoid the injurious and destructive efiects of a discharge wnaantrated at one point.

A further object is to provide in a vacuum lightning arrester means whereby a casual inspection when the device is sub-. jectedtoatesting willrevealthe state of the vacuum and W111 therefore show rvhether or not the device is in working condition.

While the arrangements herein shown and described might be used in any situation whether an electrically operated instrument is to be protected from abnormal currents, the apparatus is particularly applicable, in design and conmuction, for use in connectionwith railway signaling apparatus, one of the objects ofthe invention being to provide a vacuum' lightning arrester which will meet the conditions of this service, .and which-will, in particular, withstand the constant vibration to which a lightning ar' raster used in this connection is subjected.

The invention has for further objects such other new and improved constructions, arrsngement-s and denm in lightning arresters. and particularly in vacuum lighta arresters. as will be hereinafter descri and claimed.

The invention is illustrated, in' certain preferred embodiments. in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus. Fig. 2, a sectional plan taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertidil sectional view on line 3-43 of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5, views, in perspective, of the spring terminal clips used to supporh the mgs.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 2O designates a base, preferably of porcelain, on which the apparatus is mounted. The base is formed with perforations 21, 22 for the screws 23, 24 by means of which it. may besecured totheswitch boardsignal box or other support. designated :25. On opposite ends of the base 20 are metal plates 26, 37. with which the binding 28. 29 are re spectively in contact. as line running to the instrument to be protected ii interrupted and the ends thereof 30. 31, connected with the binding posts 28, 29, respectively. 32 designates a spring terminal clip (Fig. 4) which is secured by means of screw 33 to 5 the base in contact with the plate 26.

One end of a fuse 3; of any ordinary and suitable construction is supported between the curved portions of the clip The other end of the fuse is supported between 19 the curved portions 36 of a terminal clip 37 (Fig. 5) secured to the plate 27 and base 20 by the screw 38. The clip 37 is formed below the curred portions 36 with similar bends 39 designed to receive one end of a tubular evacuated glas container 40, the other end of which is supported by a clip 32 similar to the clip 32 previously men tioned. This clip is secured by a screw 41 to thebaseioincontactwithaplatefl A 20 grounded line 43 is wnnected with the hinding post. -14 on the plate 2. The clip 32 is electrically connected with the ground by a line designated 43- Within the tubular container are artwo electrodes '15, 46, preferably Tnade of carbon, lengfiiwise of the tube and spaced apart by a spacing element i? made of some non-conducting refractory material such, for example, as porcelain.

any suitable means, for example, by the screws *8 and. in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the electrodes and spacer are contained in a tubular member 49 pref- 45 erably made of fibr or other tough material,

although this element might be made of mica or any other convenient and suitable material. The tube -l9serves to hold the carboos and spacer together, these parts forming'a unitary structure which can be fitted 5 example,

closely into the inclosing tube 40. The spacer is formed with openingstherethrough at intervalssoastoprorideannmber of dis charge gaps between the electrodes. For yes or notches may be formed in opposite sides of the spacer. The

purpose f multiplying die discharge gaps is to p a and distribution of the discharge from end to end of the tube so that its efiects will not be concentrated at one point. Thedischargetakingplaceina racumn'lightning art-ester produces a considerable amount of heat also gives rise to sum the exad; character of and cause ii of which I hare not been able to ascertain mgthe the instrument to be protected shown of the tube, are very likely to fail, '35 experience has amply demonstrated, by breaking in the middle. The arrangement here in shown and described obviates this danger. 'The tubular member 49 also serves to protect the container 40 from the efiect .of the discharges through the gaps 50. If the tubu lar member 49 is made of opaque material it may be pierced opposite certain of the openings 50 with peek holes 51 in order that the operation of the device may be observed and the condition of the vacuum determined. Anyone familiar with apparatus-of this so; can readily tell by the appearance of the medium during a discharge whether the vacuum is as high as it should be. Leadingin wires 52 are sealed through opposite ends of the container 40 and connected with the exterior metal caps 53 and with the screws *8. Preferably the spacer 47 is formed at opposite ends with projections 54 which intervene, in each case, between the end of one oi the electrodes and the connections of the other electrodes; this arrangement serving to protect these connections against the efl'ects of the discharges from one electrode to the other and also obviating the danger of the discharge jumping from one electrode to the connections of the other, shortcircuitt line 31 is diagrammatically in Fig. 1 and 55, any dimharge to ground through the arroster will first pas through the fpsible element 56 of the fuse 341 Therefore should the line 30 be crossed with some high potential line such as a transmiion line or trolley wire, or if the amperage of the current should be increased by, for example, a decrease of the resistance in the circuit, or for any other cause, the consequent blowing out of the'fuse will cut out the arrester so that itwillnot-beinjuredorapennanentground established therethrough as would be likely to happen if the device were subjected for any considerable length of time to a current of large amperage and of suficient voltage to discharge acres the gaps.

A modification of the interior arrangements of the lightning arrester is shown in Figs 6 to 8 inclusive The electrodes and spacer are substantially the same as in the other figures but instead of being inclosed in a tubular member such as the member 49, the openings 50 in the spacer providing the discharge gaps are covered with strips 57 of mica or other translucent material which are preferably set into receses in the side faces of the spacer. designatec i 47 in these figures and are secured the reto by the screws 58v One or more bands 59 may be employed for binding the mica strips a ainst the spacer and to assist in holding the electrodes in position.

aerials leading to these instruments respectively. Fuses 64 are interposed in these lines. The lightning arrester consists of an evacuated tube 65 containing two electrodes 66, 67 connected respectively with the lines 62, 63, and a third electrode 68 which is grounded, the electrodes being spaced apart by a porcelain spacer 69 to which the electrodes are secured by screws 70 and by the non-conducting, refractory cylindrical member 71. The edges of the spacer 69 intervening between electrodes 66,- 6

and the electrode 68, are formed with notches 72 to provide discharge gaps. I In the drawings the electrode 66 has a leadingin wire 73 connected to a ring 74 on the outside of the tube 65 which is connected with the line 62 between its fuse and the instrument 60. The electrode 67 has a leading-in wire 75 connected to the line 63 between its fuse and the instrument 61. The electrode 68 has a wire 76 sealed through the other end of the tube and connected with a cap piece 77 with which the grounded wire 78 is in contact. The electrode 68 is preferably formed with grooves 79 in alinement with the oppositely arranged spark gaps 72 so that the discharge from one of the lineelectrodes to the grounded electrode tends to produce the ionization of the gaps between the other line electrode and the grounded electrode which will assist. in discharging any excessive potential on the line connected with the second mentioned line electrode. This may be of some importance as it is always possible that where one of the adjacent lines receives a heavy static charge the other line will receive a lesser charge which, while insufiicient to find a ground through the lightning arrester will be strong enough to injure the apparatus with which the line in question is connected.

While my invention has been described in certain referred embodiments, it will be understood that modifications might be made without departure from the invention.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated transparent container, of electrodes arranged therein, and a spacer of refractory, non-conducting material between said electrodes formed with grooves which provide discharge gaps between the electrodes visible through said container.

2. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated container, of electrodes arranged in parallel relation in said container, a spacer between said electrodes, and leading-in wires sealed through opposite ends of said container and connected with said electrodes respectlvely, said spacer provided at opposite ends with projections which. intervene, in each case, between the end of one of the electrodes and the connection between the leading-in wire and the other electrode.

3. In a vacuumlightningarrester, the combination with an evacuated tubular glass container, of electrodes arranged longitudinally within said container, a spacer between said electrodes, and a tubular member surrounding said spacer and electrodes so as to hold them together, which is fitted into the ends of said container.

4. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the

combination with an evacuated tubular glass container, of a pair of parallel electrodes therein, a porcelain spacer between said electrodes formed with grooves on opposite edges, screws for securing the electrodes to opposite ends of said spacer, the spacer being .formed at opposite ends with projections intervening, 1n each case, between the screw securing one electrode to the spacer and the end of the other electrode, leading-in wires sealed through opposite ends of the container and connected with said screws respectively, and a tubular element surrounding said electrodes and spacers.

5. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated tubular glass container, of electrodes arranged longitudinally within said container, a spacer between said electrodes to which the electrodes are secured; the structure comprising said electrodes and spacer being supported at opposite ends in said container with the intermediate portion out of contact with the wall of said container, said spacer formed with grooves which provide gaps between said electrodes and protecting means intervening between said grooving and the wall of the container. 1

6. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated glass tube the ends of which are of smaller diameter than the middle portion, of a pair of electrodes arranged longitudinally in said tube, and a spacer to which the electrodes are secured and providing discharge gaps between the same; the structure comprising the electrodes and spacer being fitted into the ends of the tubular container.

7. In a vacuum lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated tubular glass container, the ends of which are of smaller diameter than the middle portion, of electrodes longitudinally arranged in said container, a spacer between said electrodes formed with grooves on its ed es and a tubular element into which said e ectrodes and spacer are fitted; the structure comprising said tubular element, electrodes and spacer being fitted at opposite ends into the ends of said lass container. 7 H

8. n a lightning arrester, the combination with an evacuated tubular glass container and a pair of spaced supports adapted to en e the ends thereof, of electrodes arrangeg fongitudinally within said container, and a rigid a ertured spacer extending from end to en between said electrodes so as to provide a transverse support for said container, the intermediate portion of said container structure being out of contact with the walls of said container to provide a diffusion chamber.

9. A lightning arrester comprising the combination with an evacuated tubular conof said container and I tainer, of a plurality of electrodes therein arranged longitudinally thereof and in parallel relation to each other, and a spacer of non-conducting refractory material arranged between said electrodes, and to which the electrodes are secured, said s acer being provided with a plurality of disc arge openings which distribute the discharge lengthwise of the container, the opposite ends of said contained structure being fitted within and supported by the tubular wall by said container, said contained structure being out of contact with the portion of said tube intermediate its ends and opposite the discharge openings in the spacer.

JOHN T. GREENE. Witnesses:

FIDRENCE M. SHEEHAN, P. A. CHAPMAN.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,155,415, granted October 5, 1915, upon the application of John T. Greene, of Toledo, Ohio, for an improvement in Lightning-Arresters, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 14, claim 8, for the word conteiner" read contained; same page, line 30, claim 9, for the word by, second occurrence,

read of; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of November, A. D., 1915.

' R. 1a. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] 

